Infant toilet training, also referred to as "natural infant hygiene" or "elimination communication," involves introducing your baby to the toilet between birth and 4 months of age, advises Dr. Anil Pradhan, a pediatrician in Bradford, Pennsylvania. While this may seem out of the ordinary, many parents rely of this form of toilet training.
History
Before the 1950's when the disposable diaper became available, most babies were potty trained by 18 months of age. After this time, specialists in Western societies began advising parents to use a more relaxed approach to toilet training so training did not begin until the baby reached 18 months of age. In the 21st century, 75 countries still use some form of infant potty training, according to the book, "The Diaper-Free Baby: The Natural Toilet Training Alternative."
Procedure
The process relies on cues given by your baby and your baby's elimination patterns. Eliminations cues occur before, during or immediately after your baby urinates or defecates, according to "Natural Parenting," published in the journal, "Evolutionary Psychology." Common elimination cues include facial expressions, skin flushing, tight abdominal muscles, breathing changes, shivering, momentary behavioral changes or vocal sounds such as crying, grunting or sighing.
By noting your baby's elimination pattern or elimination cues, you can support your baby over a container. Give your baby an elimination cue like saying "sssss" to help your baby learn you want her to urinate or defecate. When accidents occur, quickly and calmly clean your baby up and try again.
Advantages
Infant toilet training has many advantages. Common advantages include saving money, decreased diaper rashes, and improved parent to baby bonding, advises Pradhan. You bond more with your baby by paying attention to your baby's cues and communicating more with your baby.
Disadvantages
Infant potty training comes with many disadvantages as well. It takes a lot of dedication on the part of the parent, advises the Baby Center. You may struggle to learn your baby's elimination cues and elimination patterns. To make it worse, your baby may eliminate without any kind of signal or she may do it outside of her usual pattern. Some babies even alternate between periods of using the potty and not using it. Unfortunately, infant toilet training often leads to many messes that need to be cleaned.
Effectiveness
Over 90 percent of babies showed elimination signals in a study performed by the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Verona in Italy. The study also showed that babies exposed to toilet training during the first six months of life completed toilet training earlier than those who were not exposed until after six months of age. A baby that gives elimination signals typically stays dry during the day and night earlier than those that do not. Most babies in the study successfully completed toilet training by 18 months of age.
References
- Dr. Anil Pradhan; Pediatric Associates of Bradford; Bradford, Pennsylvania
- "The Diaper-Free Baby: The Natural Toilet Training Alternative"; Christine Gross-loh; 2007
- "Minerva Pediatrica"; Toilet Training Started During the First Year of Life: A Report on Elimination Signals, Stool Toileting Refusal and Completion Age; Rugolotto S, Sun M, Boucke L, Calò DG, & Tatò L; February 2008
- Baby Center: Infant Potty Training--What It Is and How To Do It
- Evolutionary Psychology: Natural Parenting -- Back to Basics in Infant Care
